Trump Legs ‘Give Out’ Until He Makes an Odd Move to Restart, Then Unexpected Support Near the Beast Has Fans Zooming In
President Donald Trump arrived at Palm Beach International Airport after midnight following a rally in northeastern North Carolina. Online footage captured the 79-year-old as he disembarked Air Force One while taking extreme precautions on the plane’s steps.
On Saturday, Dec. 20, a Threads clip went viral, showing Trump patting the right side of his body—almost like someone checking for their keys—just before he carefully walked down the stairs to his waiting motorcade.
In most cases, his body tapping might be dismissed as a simple movement. However, when it comes to Trump, the moment often fuels speculation about his deteriorating health or signaling something else.
The post captioned “If this was Joe, Trump can barely walk!!!” After seeing footage of him slapping his right leg just before descending the stairs, one person sarcastically followed up with, “There he goes. Slapping that leg to make sure he can feel it so he can get down the stairs. But he’s in better shape and health than Obama.”
Others pointed out that Trump’s “always slapping that leg” and claimed they have seen him do it “often.”
Another follower called out a possible additional sign of decline, stating, “It appears that his right hand was twitching, too.” A separate commenter shared similar concerns, asking, “No control of his right arm?”
This commentator’s reply, “He looks scared of stairs,” comically pointed out a potential issue; another suggested something more serious could be at play. “Patting his leg? The other day he patted his front right hip area after he walked away from the podium…something is definitely up.”
Another said, “Trump can barely walk.”
Additional footage shows Trump getting in the back of the Beast car, while someone walked around to get in on the other side. The car is usually reserved for solo rides or Melania when she joins him or world leaders. “Unusual to see someone in the beast with him,” said one person who noticed.
Unusual to see someone in the beast with him
— 2028DT (@npr40) December 20, 2025
Trump’s leg tap has been caught on camera before. He was seen performing a similar gesture in another Air Force One departure video shared in November. In that Fox News clip, the right-leg tap was more subtle. However, it further supports the theory that the movement may not be a simple nervous habit.
Online commentary has included suggested diagnoses such as neuropathy, circulation problems, or nerve pain in the right leg. The repeated thigh taps have also been framed as an attempt to “wake up” a numb limb before navigating stairs or unstable terrain.
For months, anti-Trump discourse has centered on his alleged health decline.
Headlines have suggested that the 79-year-old is showing signs consistent with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, citing clips from his wandering speeches, repeated social media posts, and on-camera lapses as evidence.
Those allegations have become intertwined with Trump’s recent revelation that he underwent an MRI as part of his October medical workup. He has repeatedly stated that the scan was part of a “routine” visit and that the results were “perfect.”
“No idea, it was just an MRI,” he said. “What part of the body? It wasn’t the brain, because I took a cognitive test and I aced it.”
The results of the scan were released on Dec. 1, along with a memo from Sean Barbabella, the president’s physician.
In the memo, Barbabella stated that the MRI focused on Trump’s cardiovascular system and abdomen, which he claimed were “perfectly normal,” adding that Trump remains in “excellent” health.
I’ve had at least a dozen #MRIs (related to a brain tumour) Every time, the technicians come up to me with tears in their eyes and say “Sir, this is the best MRI we have ever seen” pic.twitter.com/r6hmeTIjR8
— Brother Ricky (@BrotherRicky) December 1, 2025
The lack of clarity surrounding whether a brain MRI was performed, combined with Trump repeatedly being caught on camera displaying moments associated with age-related illnesses, has only intensified online speculation.
